Lime-tank for sugar-factories.



Patented Oct. 9, I900.

E. C. BURB, J C. H. S-TUT 81. J. W. ATKINSON.

LIM'E TANK FOB 'SUGAB FACTORIES.

(Appliction filed Nov. 27, 1899.)

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No. 659,360. Patented Oct, 9,1900.

E. c. BUBR, J. c H. STU-T & J. w. ATKINSON. LIME TANK ronsuaAn FAcTomEs.

, A lication filed Nov. 27, 1899. (No Mndel.) 2 $heeta$haet 2.

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NITED STATES.

PATENT A Fries.

EDMUND O. BURR, OF sAN FRANCISCO, JOHN O. H. S'IU'l, OF OAKLAND, ANDJOHN W. ATKINSON, OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA.

LIME-TANK FOR SUGAR-FACTORIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,360. d t d, O t b9, 1900.

I Application filed November 27, 1899. Serial No. 738,477. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDMUND C. BURR, residing at the city and county ofSan Francisco, JOHN C. H. STUT, residing at Oakland,

Alameda county, and JOHN W. ATKINSON, re-

siding at Santa Maria, Santa Barbara county, State of California,citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lime-Tanks for Sugar-Fa'cl0 tories; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame. A 7

Our invention relates generally to the apparatus which in beet-sugarfactories is concerned with the preparation and supply of milk of limeto the juice in the carbonatingpans.

Our invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement oflime-settling 2o tanks, which Weshall hereinafter describe andillustrate.

The object of the invention is to provide for the continuous supply andpurification of the milk of lime. The lime is naturally mixed with gritand impurities, and when the water is added in the slaker and the milkof lime thus formed is passed on into the limesettling tanks, from whichit is used to supply the pipe system to the measuring-tanks andcarbonators, it is necessary to allow these foreign matters andimpurities to settle, at the same time keeping the liquid stirred toproperly hold the lime in suspension. From the lime-settling tanks themilk of lime is pumped continuously to and circulates through thepipe-supply system, there being a necessity for continuous operation tokeep the lime properly mixed. The lime-tanks have, however, to becleaned out quite frequently, and under the system heretofore used thisrequires a stoppage of the operation, which is very undesirable. By ourarrangement and combination of the lime-tanks we are enabled to cleanany one out without shutting off the others, which may continue toreceive the lime, purify it by settlin-g its impurities, keep itstirred, and continuously supply it to the pipe system.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of ourlime-settling tanks.

. Fig. 2 isa plan of a modification ofsame.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of trough G.

We have here shown a groupof lime-settling tanks, three-in number,though it may comprise more, if desired. One of these tanks isdesignatedby A, a second by B, and a third by G. The three tanks discharge intoeach other, as by overflows a, b, and c, which are controlled by gatesor other suitable valves a b c.

D indicates in Outline the slaker, in which the milk of lime is made.This discharges into a channel (1, which communicates with a channel ato tank A, and with a channel 79 to tank B, and with a channel 0 to tank0, each of said channels being independently and separately controlledby suitable gates or other valves designated by a 17 and respectively.

In each of the three tanks A, B, and O is a shaft E, driven by suitablepower connections unnecessary to show, and each carries on its lower endstirrer-arms e.

E represents a pump which takes the contents from any of the tanks. Thispump is to serve the usual purpose of passing the milk of lime throughthe customary pipe-su pply system, unnecessary herein to show, to themeasuring-tanks of the carbonators, (not shown,) returning the surpluscontinuously. This pump is connected with each of the tanks by pipes (1b and 0, respectively, and each pipe is separately controlled by cocks ab and c The operation is this. The milk of lime being made in the slakcris fed through one or more of the channels a b c to theintercommunicating three tanks A, B, and G, in each of which theimpurities settle, while the slow but steady motion of the stirrerskeeps the lime in suspension. The pump F draws from any of the threetanks, as desired, this being effected by proper manipulation of thecooks a 6 and 0 Now if tank A requires cleaning the channel a is closedby its gate a and the overflow communications at and b are cut off bytheir gates a and'b. These effectually cut tank A out from the group,and the Workman can clean it out. During this time the Operation ofsupplying tanks B mo and C continues, and from either, according as thecommunication of the pump may be, the pipe system is supplied with itsnecessary continuous flow. In like manner tank B may be cut out of thesystem and cleaned when required, and so, too, tank 0 and any othermembers of a large group of similarly intercommunicating settling-tanks.A simpler arrangement, however, but involving a similar mode ofoperation with like results, is shown in Fig. 2, wherein of the group ofthree settling-tanks the one marked 0 may be said to be common to A andB, because each of the latter discharge into it by overflows, such asshown at a and Z).

G is an inclined supply-trough, which may or may not have in its bottomriffles g to catch as much of the settling impurities from the milk orlimeas may be possible by such means. This trough has an outlet-openingg into tank A and another outlet-openingg into tank B. Each of theseopenings is to be separately controlled-as, for example, by means of agate 9". These outlet-openings g and flare a little above the bottom ofthe trough in order to alford a space in the lower portion to catch andretain the settled impurities. The pump F communicates with tank 0. Iftank A require cleaning, the outlet-opening g in trough G, whichsupplies said tank, is closed by its gate, thus cutting out tank A, sothat it may be cleaned. Meanwhile the operation of supplying tank Bcontinues, and it continues to supply tank C, and from the latter thepipe system is supplied with a continuous flow. In like manner tank Bmay be cut out of the group and cleaned, and so may any other members ofa large group.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a milk-of-lime supply, two lime-settling tanks A,B, each communicating with said supply, means for controlling thecommunication with each tank, a third lime-settling tank communicatingwith each of the tanks A, B. and a pump communicating with the thirdtank and from which it draws the milk of lime, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

2. In combination with a milk-of-lime supply, a group of lime-settlingtanks two of which A, B, communicate with said supply and each of whichcommunicates by an overflow with a third tank, means for separatelycontrolling the communication from said supply to said two tanks A, B,and a pump connecting with said group of tanks and adapted to draw themilk of lime therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a milk-of-lime supply-conduit d, twolime-settling tanks A, B, each having a valve-controlled connection withsaid supply-conduit d, a third tank 0, an overflow from each of thetanks A, B, to the tank C, means for separately controlling saidoverflow, a pump communicating with the third tank 0 and from whichit-draws the milk of lime and adapted to supply a pipe system,substantially as described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EDMUND O. BURR. JOHN C. H. STUT. J OIIN \V. ATKINSON.

Witnesses as to signatures of B urr and Stut:

D. B. RICHARDS, WALTER F. VANE.

Witnesses as to the signature of Atkinson:

A. L. PARSONS, W. F. KELLEY.

